The Sun. — London, England, 1838-03-17 00:00:00

MAILS siii rdved. Due Arrived. Due. Arrived. Due. 0 ~,rienca.......... 1 1 France.... C. Prazil..... ..... .. 0 0 Gueni. & Jersey 0 0 Matta (1 Buenos Ayres.. 0 0 Hamburg........ 1 0 Mexico t) 0 Carthascna...... 0 0 Holland ...... .... 0 0 Ostend.. ...... 1 Dublin... ...... 0 0 Jamaica 0 0 Sweden... ...... ... 0 C Flanders HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE TO MORROW. I.lorning ...... . IS minutes after 6 I Evening 47 minutes after 6 MR. JAMES'S NEW NOVEL. On Thursday, March 99th, in 3 vols. E It ()BEE R. By the Author of " The Gipsy," " One in a Thousand," " Attila," " Mary of Burgundy," John Marston Hall, a Novel," &c, &c. London : Longman, Orme, and Co. T H FOR SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION, At the Hamburgh Coffee House, Water-lane, Tower-street, on THURSDAY, the 22d inst., at Twelve for One o'clock, THIRTY-ONE BUTTS, 23 Hogsheads, and 10 Quarter C as k s SHERRY-30 Pipes,9,Hogsheads, 8 Quarter Casks, and 37 Cases superior PORT-10 Hogsheads M A S DEU DISTRICT WINE-87 Cases of Eade's 1825 and other CLARETS-836 Dozens Old Port, Sherry, Madeira, Constantia di Florida, ;luta di Bagni, Cabriata, Malvoisie di Nicopoli, Sack, Malmsey, &c. &c., in bottle-7 Puncheons Old Cognac Brandy -48 Cases Foreign Cordials, &c. Catalogues of SAMUEL LANCASTER, Wine and Spirit • Broker, 59, Mark-lane. 7he publication of Tax SUN NECWSPAPER commenced this day at 25 minutes past Three o' Clock. WITH WHICH i , THE TRUE SUN" IS NOW INCORPORATED. LONDON: SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 17, 1838. Every day brings to light some additional slovenly in consistency in our Legislation ; and every day's experience teaches us more and more to mock at those who wish to delude the public by asserting that the law is the perfection of human reason. The new fact was brought before the House of Commons last light by Lord JOHN RUSSELL, 'who explained that the law had made no provision for Com mittees of the Housa of Commons striking names off the registries of electors in Ireland, whileithasmade such apro vision as to English electors ; but the House of Commons being ignorantof the law, actually passed a resolution in 1835 for Committees to exercise the same power over Irish as over English electors. The House of Commons, in passing that resolution, usurped a power, so far as Ireland is concerned, which the law did not give it, and has in several instances dared to deprive large bodies of the electors of their franchises and rights. There can be no doubt that it has usurped a power that does not belong to it, and has disfranchised electors with whom it had no right to meddle. In the case of Cork, a Com mittee decided that 700 electors for that city should be struck-off the registry, and the SPEAKER accordingly issued his warrant to strike them off. They were accordingly struck off by the Clerk of the Peace, but the Assistant Barrister ordered their names to be restored, and two hundred and sixty-three of them actually voted at the last election. A complaint has been made to the House of the assistant-barrister having set at defiance the SPEAKER'S warrant, which he called waste paper, but he has been allowed to defy it. In fact the law was on his side, and the House and the SPEAKER were ignorant of the law. They perhaps meant no evil when they passed their resolution, usurped a power which did belong to them, and disfranchised the people ; but the law concerning contro verted dections is such a hodge-podge, such a tangled skein of contradictory and conflicting decisions, that neither the legislators themselves, nor those who ad minister the law, nor those who make it the study of their lives, can tell what it is. We cannot, however, be surprised at such being the state of the election laws ; for the same characteristics are common to all our laws, and they are not all made like those for deciding controverted elections by heated and zealous partizans, who pass resolu tions and come to decisions, which have the force of laws, in order to secure a momentary victory, and give a triumph to some one faction. The difficulty in which the resolution of 1835 plunged Election Committees, and the defeat to which it exposed the SPEAKER'S warrants, induced Lord Jorts RUSSELL last night, to move that the resolution be rescinded. The motion was opposed by Sir EDWARD STIGDEN in an ela borate speech, but not successfuily, as stated in the Times. The Right Hon. Gentleman argued that the election laws of Ireland' and England were the same ; that the House of Commons had the power in England before the Reform Act, which was doubted by Lord JOHN RUSSELL, as to Ireland, and therefore the House had it now as to Ireland. But there was no registry in England beforethe Reform Act, while there was a quasi registry in Ireland, and the decisions of Electisn Committees in England could not possibly apply to a totally different series of circumstances in Ireland. The Reform Act for England expressly gives the power to Committees to strike electors off the registers, then for the first time created ; but the Reform Act for Ireland gives no such power to Committees, and it is doubtful whether the Reform Act for Scotland confers it. A subsidiary and important question arises ; if the Committee cannot strike off voters from the registry, can it open the registry ? If it cannot strike off electors, there seems no use in that ; but it may still disallow any votes for any particular election. Sir EDWARD SUGDEN contended, at great length, that the House had the power, by virtue of its inherent jurisdiction, over elections ; so that, according to this truly little minded captious lawyer, whatever usurpation the House of Commons chooses to make in matters of el?ction, be comes, by the usurpation, ipso facto, legal, just, and right. The House of Commons, however, decided against the Right Hon. Gentlem:tn. There was an inconvenience in rescinding the resolution of 1835 altogether, as pro posed by Lord Jolts RUSSELL, which is quite just as to England, but doubtful as to Scotland, and positively wrong as to Ireland. The original resolution, and Sir EDWARD SUGDEN'S amendment, to adjourn the debate for two months, were therefore both withdrawn, and the House contented itself with suspending the resolution so far as it applies to Ireland and Scotland. We copy the decision from the votes of the House where it is thus given, "Ordered, that the execution of the said resolution in so far as it applies to Scotland and Ireland be suspended until the Ist of June next." It is the more necessary to notice the de cision because it is omitted in the reports of the Morning Papers, and because the Times expresses a little exultation at the presumed success of Sir EDWARD SUGDEN. In fact Sir EDWARD'S sophistry failed to convince the House, and Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S suggestion was adopted. His Excellency the GOVERNOR of BARBADOES, in a Ales sage to the House of Assembly of that Island, dated the 16th of January, declares the slaves there to be sufficiently enlightened to obtain unrestricted freedom, and recom mends an immediate abolition of the apprenticeship system. This is indeed joyful intelligence. According to the report which we gave in our Second Edition of last night, the Coal Committee has concluded its examination of witnesses, and in a few days the prohibition moved by the coal owners of the publication of the evidence will cease to exist. We shall then lay before our readers some of the most appalling facts which were ever dragged into light—facts which, in all probability, would have re mained unknown, had we not, day by day, denounced this monster monopoly to the indignation of its victims. We understand that evidence was yesterday given—First, of the artificial increase in the price of coals by means of the monopoly to the extent of six shillings and four pence per ton, which on two million six hundred and twenty-seven thousand tons, (the consumption of the metropolis and neighbourhood last year) causes an annual tax of 831,812/., —nearly one million of money ! Secondly, evidence was given of the existence of one of the moss horrible systems of plunder and brutality springing out of this monopoly that ever were known—three poor men, coal-whippers, deposed that until within the last few months the whole of their body were under the entire control of certain villainous publicans (whose conduct we are convinced will be viewed with indi gnat i on b y t h e respecta bl e mem b ers o f th a t l arge and influ ent i a l b ody)—these pu b licans h a d an arrangement with the Captains of the colliers to provide gangs of coal whippers to unload their vessels, and having this power, it was proved that they employed only such as would spend out of their hard earnings fully one-third in such poisonous compounds as they forced upon them ; they were expected to drink in the morning before they went to their work, their implements being withheld for hours that they might do so ; they were compelled to drink at night before one farthing of money was doled out for their wretched fa milies, who, half fed and half clothed, were pining at home for the husband and the father that came not—or, if at all, drunk and unable to give them either bread or joy ; in addition to this they had to pay for liquors which they never drank, but which were taken by the Captains whom the publicans were ever ready to treat, at those miserable coal-whippers' expence. If any ventured to repine at this, to be goaded by his affections and the agonies of those most dear to him, and escape to his family with some of his earnings, be was first to be " planked," i. e. carried about the district on a plank, and tortured in every possible way short of death ; after which he was to be driven from employment, and left to beg, steal, or starve. A humane gentleman hearing of this, established an office for the employment of whippers, without 'subjecting them to this horrible system ; but scarcely a single Captain could he get to employ those men he had " emancipated." He went to the North, and stated the case to a large meeting of the Captains, but they treated his benevolent propositions with scorn, and himself with rudeness. He then offered to unload their vessels at a reduction of one-fifth in the price—a penny per ton instead of a penny-farthing ; to this some of them listened. The money was weighed against the bribes of the publicans, and now a considerable number go to the " New Office" for their men. Another startling fact was elicited on this subjeet : the Lord Mayor had been written to six or seven times, and waited upon as often by this gentleman, to interfere for the prevention of this most detestable and inhuman practice ; but no, the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen stirred not—the applicant, instead of receiving encouragement and protection (for he was repeatedly assaulted by the villains, or the victims of the villains, of this system), he was, as he declared, " dis couraged," and told they could do nothing ! Yes, " nothing ri The Lord Mayor and Aldermen could do nothing to save fathers from unwilling pollution, and children from com pelled starvation !—Nothing to clear the Thames, of which they were Conservators, of the hundreds of vessels whish the monopolists kept rotting in the river, to the hindrance of the navigation, for the purpose of taxing the citizens nearly a million per annum ! Nothing—oh, no—they could not spare time to make bye-laws and regulations which the, Legislature called upon them, expected, and empowered them to make, for the benefit of those who had rashly and blindly given them their golden chains and cis , i,; digni ties ! They had no time for any of those things ; but the third great fact came out, that they had time, and were most alive and most alert with every Railway Company who came before Parliament to get illegal clauses for usurped powers of taxation (not in their Charter) to be in serted; or, if not, let the Company look to its Bill—let them reflect on the ruinous expences of a protracted oppo sition—let them consider the Parliamentary influence of the great Corporation of London. No marvel these conside rations prevailed—no marvel that any small modicum of public spirit these Joint Stock Companies possessed gave way before such implied threats—no marvel they consented that their own Acts of Parliament should be made the in struments of taxing the people for the benefit of the Cor poration funds—no marvel that East, West, North, and South, for sixteen miles round London, not a coal shall come in without swelling the principal money, of which sum Sir WILLIAM CURTIS, or others, get the manage ment and the interest ! Talk of the " march of intellect" indeed, with these monstrous abuses undetected and un touched in this great and enlightened city of London, un der the very noses of the " Patriots" of the Common Council, and unblushingly defended by the " Liberal" Members of large constituencies, to whom we shall have a few more words to say anon. Our Correspondent at Liverpool has just forwarded to us a copy of a Treaty of Peace concluded between Chili and Peru, on November 17, 1837 ; but it has reached us too late for insertion in our columns of this day. He states it to have been communicated to the respectable House of TATLEITRE and Co. by their agent at Arequipa. The documents will be handed to the Morning, Chronicle, as requested. Among the numerous improvements now in progress in I the metropolis, we know of few more worthy of encou ragement than that contemplated by the Company for the erection of Club Chambers ; provided the plan they have laid down be fairly and extensively carried out. At pre sent country gentlemen, and Members of Parliament, whose stay in London is limited to a few months in the year, have the greatest difficulty in finding lodgings in the vi cinity of the Clubs at an expense commensurate with a limited income. Houses are not to be had ; and even if they were, the terms for which they must be taken, and the expenses attendant upon house-keeping, would render them wholly unsuitable for the accommodation of the class of persons who form the most numerous frequenters of Clubs. Chambers on the plan proposed by the Company would combine all the essential requisites for a temporary and bachelor-like residence in the metropolis—viz., re spectability, privacy, freedom of companionship and move ment, security and economy. But wherefore limit such chambers to the accommodation of the frequenters of Clubs ? Has it not occurred to the Company engaged in this project that . no speculation would be more profitable than to erect suites of chambers for the accommodation of small families, after_the plan of the flats, or floors, so com mon in Glasgow, Paisley, and the principal towns in the west of Scotland There is a highly nume rous, but most respectable class of persons in London; consisting of clerks, artists, literary men, and retired naval and military officers, whose means will net allow them to take houses, and to whom it is most incon venient to spend their lives in lodgings, exposed to the caprices and the over-reachings of lodging-house keepers. These persons would be hut too happy to avail themselves of the accommodation of Chambers subject to such regu lations as would ensure the respectability of several in mates. We trust this suggestion will not be thrown away upon any Company anxious to combine a regard to the convenience of a most deserving &ass of citizens, with a laudable zeal to promote the pecuniary interests of its members. Notwithstanding the powerful attack made upon the French Cabinet in the debate upon the Secret Service Fund, Ministers are likely to weather the storm until the close of the present Session. The Paris Papers of Thursday place beyond dispute their overwhelming influ ence in the Chamber of Deputies. Attacked on all sides, and by men of every shade of opinion—Royalists, _Doctri naires, and Republicans—ably defended neither by them selves nor their supporters, they nevertheless triumphed when the question at issue carnet° a division. M. BOUDET moved as an amendment that the originally proposed grant of 1,500,000 francs should be reduced to 1,200,000 francs, which was put to the vote, when there appeared : For the Original Motion 233 For the Amendment lB4 Majority in favour of Ministers - -49 The question of the passing of the Bill was then put to the vote, when the numbers were : For the Bill, as proposed by Ministers 249 Against it ' 133 Majority in favour of Ministers --116 On the 3d inst. M. HUGO, and several other Deputies of the States-General of Hanover, quitted the Chamber in a body, after protesting against the competency of the elected to do more than defend from violation the Consti tution of 1833. There remained but 38 Deputies, and these had set the Government at defiance by voting the continuance of the internal regulations of 1833, instead of those of 1819. It was, therefore, reported, that the KING would dissolve the Chambers and govern without them that is, if the Hanoverians be such slaves as to suffer him. FRENCH FUNDS.-Paßts, MARCO 15. Five per Cents., 108 f. 107 f. 95c. 106 f. Four per Cents., 102 f. Three per Cents. 80f. Sc. SOf. Bank Actions, 2 , 655 f. 2,660 f. 2,655 f. ftente de Naples, 1/9f. 50c. Roman Five per Cents., 101% 102 L Spanish Actives, 201( 21 203 f, %. Spanish Passives, 4% %. Belgian Loan, Fire per Cents, 104}6. Belgian Bank, 1,500 f. 1,4921. 50c. 1,495 f. Portuguese Loan, Three per Cents. 20%. Dutch Two and a Half per Cents., 54i. Haytsan Loan. 400 f. EICHANOZ ON LONDON. One month, paper, 25f. 55c. ; money, 25f. 52%c. Three months, paper, 25f. 40c. ; money, 25f. 40c. LAST PRICES. Five per Cents. 108 f. Three per Cents., 80f. Bank Actions, 2655 f. Romans, 102. Belgian Loan, 104%. Belgian Bank, Lo u t Portuguese Three per Cents., 20. Haytian Loan, 400 f. Spanish Actives, 20N. Spanish Passives, 4%%. Madrid Journals of tl7;---"---11th instant, have been received. Aft a long debate, the Senate negatived the admission of Don FRANCISCO DE PAULO into that Assembly, by a majority of two votes. The War Minister had ordered the the evacuation of the garrisons of Lower Arragon, in con sequence of their constant exposure to the attacks of the Carlists. This measure will not fail to fill the Liberals with the most terrible apprehensions. The defeat of the Carlist chief, TALLADA is confirmed in these Journals. TREATY OF PEACE BETWEEN CHILI AND PERU. Arequipa, 24th November, 1537. We have now the satisfaction of advising you of a peace having been concluded between Chili and Peru. The noble conduct of General Santa Cruz, on the occasion, will, we hope, produce a good feeling in the former country, which may tend to make the peace more last ing. At the time of the treaty, the Chili army was entirely in the power of Santa Cruz. General Blanco's effective force was reduced from desertion and sickness to about 2,500 men ; his retreat to the coast was completely cut off—his soldiers, especially the infantry, consisting of about 2,000 men, were disheartened, ill disciplined, and unwilling to fight. On the other hand Santa Cruz possessed a very strong :position, Paucarpata, one league distant from this city, with an army of about 5,000 men in superb condition and enthusiastic in their cause. In a few days the Chili force must have been inevitably en tirely destroyed, and in all probability a single man would have not reached the ships on the coast, but we con sider the present treaty more beneficial to the cause of General Santa Cruz, and the interest of the country than many victories. We hope a peace with the " Proviecias Arjentinas" will naturally follow, but if not a small force into the Bolivian frontier will be sufficient to keep them in check. General Brann is now 80 l:agues in advance of it, but has orders to proceed no further, although he is strongly requested by the inhabitants of Sulta to march on. - - 414 k. . 7.4 • /JP. Zhe al= THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1838. ROLLS' COURT.-(THIS DAY.) ROBINS V. HUGHES. This case, which our readers will recollect we mentioned last Satur day was brought on this morning. Mr. PEMBERTON for the plaintiff stated this was an application against the defendant, a solicitor named Hughes, that he might be ordered to deliver up the will and codicil of George Robbins, the testator, together with the deeds, muniments, papers, Sm., belonging to the estate of the testator, and that he might be restrained from part. ing with, or dealing with, or destroying the will and codicil, or any of the deeds, without the consent and authority of the plaintiff. When this case was last before the Court, Counsel appeared for Mr. Hughes, and desired time to answer the affidavits, not objecting to an order to restrain him from parting with the documents. Mr. Hughes had not thought fit to answer the affidavits made on behalf of the plaintiff, and he (Mr. Pemberton) was sorry to say the case which the affidavits presented to the Court against the defendant was one of the very grossest frauds he ever remembered to have come under the consideration of a Court of Justice. Mr. KINDERSLEY, who, with Mr. Richards, appeared for Mr. Hughes, wished to state that the affidavits made on the other side con sisted of four-and-twenty brief sheets re!ativo to payments of accounts and transactions connected with money matters. Whon the case was last before this Court his client had been allowed from Saturday to 'Wed nesday to answer those affidavits ; but he had found it impossible to do so within that time, and therefore submitte,l to such order as the Court might think proper to make. He did not object to anything asked by the notice of motion. Mr. PEMBERTON—There may have been subsequent transactions. I cannot consent to take the order on the notion that this gentleman has not had time to answer the affidavit. Mr. KINDERSLEY—I dont know what more my friend asks. Lord LANGDALE—There is a petition also for an account. Mr. PEMBERTON said the terms of the notice of motion must be ex plained by the affidavits being stated, and documents must be specified in the order, to prevent any mistake as to what were the deeds. Mr. KiNnnast.nv observed there was no objection to that, if his Learned Friend would state where the documents were. Mr. PEMBERTON said that the testator, Robbins, had employed the defendant as his solicitor and agent for IS years, in the course of which time he was entrusted with the receipt and investment of monies on account of Robbins, to the amount of 30,0001. or 40,0001. On Robbin's death it turned out that the greater part of these securities were not forthcoming, and there was great diffi culty in obtaining an account. Lpon an kiplication to the Court the account was examined, and it wes discovered that a great part of those moneys had been invested by Hughes in his own name, received again, and applied to his own purposes, but the interest credited to the testator, as if those moneys were still remaining. It now turned out that moneys to the amount of no less than 11,380/. had been withdrawn from the testator ; and the greater part of these moneys, as far as they were invested in any securities at all, were invested in securities in the name of Hughes himself. Those securities the plaintiff conceived to belong to him; therefore if the order was made simply that the defendant should deliver up all securities, muniments, deeds, &c., now belonging to the estate of the testator, and that he should be restrained from parting with any securities, or receiving any monies due on securities belonging to the estate, the defendant might say, that although he did not attempt to explain or remove a single imputation of these gross and st•andatous frauds brought forward against him, yet he considered these to be his securities, and that he was not bound by the injunction of the Court from dealing with them. The Learned Gentleman therefore submitted the order must be for the de livery up cf these deeds and securities, verified by the affidavits as pro perly belonging to the plaintif, though appropriated by the defendant to himself. Mr. K!NDERSLEY said if the solicitor for the plaintiff would point out the documents which he wished to have specifically mentioned, in the order his client would agree, if not to every one of them, at least to nine out of ten. Lord LANGDALE—That is a very reasonable proposal. There are se veral of these documents which relate to property clearly belonging to the testator—let them be delivered up immediately. As to the rest, with respect to which there may be any doubt, let there be a communi cation between the solicitors. Mr. Itlca A IDS—Any order that may be made will be made, I appre hend, withoot prejudice to any account ? Mr. PEMBERTON—I object to any qualification of any sort whatever. Mr. KINDERSLEY—No, we cannot press for that. MARKETS.-(THIS DAY). NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL. All kinds of killed meat were to-day in large supply, especially Mutton. Trade brisk, and prices unvaried, except Mutton, which is 2d. per stone lower. All was not sold. Beef, 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d.; Mutton, 3s. to 45.; Veal, 3s. 6d. to 55.; Lamb, 6s. 4d. to 75.; Pork, 4s. to 55.; Irish, 3s. Bd. to 4s. Eggs in large supply, and trade dull. Price down to 55., ss. sd. per 120. Game and Poultry in large supply. Trade bad, and prices, where altered, higher. Hares, 2s. 6d. to 35.; Goslings, 75. to 10s.; Pea Hens, 7s. to 10s.; Turkeys, ss. to Bs.; Duckling, 45. 6d.; Woodcocks, 4s. to Os.; Chickens, 2s. 6.1. to 31. 6d. each. BILLINGSGATE MARKET. Supply good. Prices continue reasonable, and trade lively. Turbot 4s. and ss. to 20s. ; Soles 6d. to 2s. 6d. per pair, and higher ; Cod 2s. to 10s., and higher; Lobsters dear; Salmon 2s. to 25. 6d. per lb. ; Whit ings 4d. to Is. each. In St. Peters's-alley, Cornhill, we saw an excel.. lent assortment of Fish, particularly of Salmon. HUNGERFORD MARKET. Meat in good supply; trade brisk and prices high. Beef, 7d. to Sid.; Mutton, 7d. to Sad. ; Veal, Bd. to 10d. ; Pork, 7d. to Bd. and Sid. ; Fish plentiful, good, and reasonable; Soles, Pd. to 2s. 6d • per pair, and higher; Turbot, ss. to 18s. for very fine; Cod, various prices, from 2s. to 12s. Vegetables in fine supply, considering circumstances, and sell at Covent Garden prices. Hay and Clover firm. COVENT GARDEN MARKET. There was far from being a good supply to-day. This is Just the time between the going out of old produce and the coming in of new. Greens in particular were dear. Indeed all prices are high, and trade but indifferent. PROVISION MARKET. Since this day week Irish Butter has dec:ined Is. and Foreign 3.. tc 4s. Bacon is also Is. lower. The market for provisions is dull, but, with the abase exceptions, no variation in prices has occurred. HAY MARKETS. Dry provender of all kinds was in plentiful supply, and in considera ble demand—prices firm, and rating as follow :—Straw 38s. to 425. ; Clover Hay 110 s. to 1155., and 1225., according to quality ; Meadow ditto, 88s. to 951. and 100 s. TALLOW MARKET. To-day P. Y. C. is 595. on the spot, and 475. 6d, for delivery ; town tallow is worth 625. ; and, in some instances, has been sold at 635. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE COLONIAL MARKETS DURING THE WEEK. Not much business done, as our daily reports have shewn. Only about 600 hhds. British Plantation Sugar sold. All kinds of Raw Sugar, except Foreign, have declined Is. 6d. per cwt. during the week. Refined has declined is. per cwt. Ceylon Coffee of all kinds has de clined 2s. ; Mocha and British Plantation remain without alteration. Had they sold they must have gone lower. Foreign Coffee Is., Rice 6d. lower; Cocoa, Is. lower; Indigo, 2d. to 3d. per lb. lower; Spices firm; Rum has risen Id. per gallon; Cotton unaltered. The Imports have been to a fair extent; the exports fair, and deliveries for home consumption light rather than otherwise. LIVERPOOL SHARE MARKET, 31anci1 16. Since our last report the Share business here has in some degree re vived. Sales to a moderate extent were effected in the undermentioned Railway Stock, but in any other description of stock there has been no transactions reported. The following are our closing prices :—Eastern Counties, 54 per share ; Liverpool and Manchester, 201 ; Leeds and Manchester, 39i ; Manchester and Birmingham, 11 ; Bristol and Exeter, 94 ; Brighton and London, ; Birkenhead and Chester, 7. LIVERPOOL CORN MARKET, Maacn 16. Since Tuesday last we have received 8,410 qrs. of Oats, 1,208 of Malt, 336 Barley, 4,040 Wheat, 717 Beans, 222 Peas, 536 Barley, 6,085 sacks of Flour, and 14,000 sacks of Oatmeal, not including several vessels in the river and docks not yet entered. At this morning's market we had few dealers present, they having purchased sufficient to meet present wants on Tuesday last; and this circumstance, joined with a dearth of speculative demand, caused most articles in the Corn trade to be difficult sale. The best descriptions of Wheat scarcely realized late rates, and inferior and middling were decidedly the turn lower. Flour was likewise in poor request, but we cannot report the prices as lower; and in anything clsewe have nothing of importance to notice. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, MARCH 16. There were 1,600 Surat, for public auction, 600 of which met with purchasers at our last quoted prices, and the remainder were withdrawn. The sales generally are to a very large extent this day, the amount being 4,000 bags; and we think that the rates are somewhat higher. The import of this week is 33,245 bags. GLASGOW WATER WORKS BILL. The discussion on this Bill, given in our Parliamentary re port, in which some of the distinguished public men took a part, possesses an interest beyond what usually belongs to a Private Bill; of which the practical effect was shown, by the various speakers, to be " for the purpose (as Mr. P. Chalmers stated) of joining two Water Companies now existing in!Glas gow, and to unite them into one. The Glasgow Town council were very anxious to purchase the works of the Com panies, and to supply the citizens with water upon an assess ment, and at first cost. They had offered the value of the works, but the Companies wanted to form a monopoly ; the object of the Bill was to establish a great monopoly, with which the citizens of Glasgow would not be able to contend." On these grounds, therefore, he moved an amendment, on the second reading of the Bill. Mr. Hume seconded the amendment— " he believed the whole inhabitants were against the Bill, which was for the purpose of uniting two Companies." Mr. O'Connell stated, " that the Bill for consolidating the two Companies would create a monopoly in every sense of the word, whereas as the object of the Town Council was to purchase out both the Companies at a fair price, and to supply the inhabitants with water at first cost." This attempt at substituting a monopoly for the present competition in the supply of water for a city like Glasgow, now containing 230,000 inhabitants, crowded into narrow and filthy lanes, and peculiarly liable, as has been lately publicly stated, to typhus fever, is a most pernicious measure, and a repetition of what was formerly unsuccessfully attempted to be carried in London, and we doubt not will be ultimately re jected by the Liberal Representatives of Glasgow. LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.) DEAL, MARCH 16.—Wind S.W., fresh breeze.—Came down from the river and remains, the Miranda, Hopper, for the Mauritius ; and Cle mcntina, Wootton, for Liverpool. Arrived, and proceeded for the river, the Telemachus, French, from Plymouth ; and Amelia, Bridge mann, from Port au Prince to Brena. Put back, the Surprise, Hill, for the South Seas ; and several others, names unknown. PORTSMOUTH, MARCH 16.—Wind N., fresh breezes and squally, with showers and hail.— Arrived, the John Marshall, Carey, from Mobile ; Nymph, Earwicker, from St. Michael's ; and Columbine, steamer, Thompson, from San Sebastian. Passed by the Norfolk, the McGil downy, from the Mauritius for London--sailed on the 23d November ; on the 30th December, in lat. 27, 595., lon. 44, 52E , spoke the ship Elizabeth from the Mauritius for Bristol on the 19th January in lat. 25, 545., lon. 5,10 E., the American ship John, from the South Seas : on the 20th January, in lat. 24, 445., lon. 4. 7E., the barque-Cam brian, from the Mauritius for Cork : on the sth ult., lat. 1,41 N., lon. 19, 30., spoke the ship William Jockerby, from Liverpool for the Cape of Good Hope and the Mauritius. Her Majesty's ship Athol is come into harbour from, Spithead. PLYMOUTH, MARCH 15 —Wind N. W. to s.E.—Sailed the Chariqua, Jensen, for Hamburg; Napoleon, Childs, and Alfred, Dixon , f or Tene . rifle and Africa. _ _ Facuou - rx, Marren 15.—Wind N., fresh breezes and fine.—Sailed the Naiad, Hayes, for Sr. Jago de Cuba; Swedish brig Mary, Falk, for Lisbon. LIVERPOOL, MARCH 16.—Wind W.,-fresh. —Arrived the Porter, Sea. right, from Manzanilla. Arrived off, the Duke of Lancaster, and the Queen blab, from Calcutta; Sir John Tobin, from Demerara. Two outward-bound sloops are aground on the Brazil Bank. CORK, MARCH 14.—Arrived the Crusader, Smith, from Honduras. The Walter Scott, from Liverpool, put in here leaky, and must dis_ charge, bound to New York. HULL, MARCH 16.—Arrived the Seahorse steamer, from Rotterdam. EASTBOURNE, MARCH 16.—Arrived off, the Herald, Watt, from the Cape of Good Hope. BouLoGNE, Ma Rai 15.—The Lord Eldon, Worse!), bound to Lon don, got on shore to the westward of this port this morning, but was assisted off without apparent damage, and proceeded. The Elizabeth and Mary, Faulkner, from Bristol to Honduras, was long on the Southern Key Reefs, January '2O. The Alexander, Marsaud, from Samarang to Bordeaux, put into Mauritius with four feet water in the hold, and must discharge. MONEY it COM - MERCYAL NEWS. CITY (THIS DAY), TWELVE O'CLOCK. The British funds, which were rather heavy at the opening of the Market, yesterday morning, closed firm at an improvement from 9•lk to 93k ; Money, 921 03. Thi■ may be attributed to the late news from Canada, which has not alarmed the monied interest. _ Consols opened this morning at same ; Exchequer Bills, 63 65 ; India Bonds, 63 65 ; Bank and India Stock, shut. In the Foreign Market, Spanish Active eras heavy in the morning, but closed with an improvement, at 211 1. The mystery which has pre vailed for several days of the rise of Spanish Stock, is now ascertained by the arrival of the express from Paris, this morning, which states that the Government of Madrid is now likely to succeed in contracting for a Spa_ nish loan, with several Capitalists, for four hundred millions of Rials. Spanish Active opened this morning at the same. Portuguese, 30 3 % ; Three per Cents., 20i to 21; Brazilian, 76i. 77. 1 4 ; Mexican, 28 1 4 . 29 ; Colombian, 281 7 29 ; Dutch Two.and.a.Hall per Cents., 52 %. MAIDSTONE ENSUING ELECTION. (RECEIVED THIS DAY rtiom A CORRESPONDENT.) MAIDSTONE, SATURDAY, 6, A.M.-Last night a public meeting was held by the electors of this borough in the liberal interest at the Sun Inn, for the purpose of concertino' mea svres for the return of a gentleman of consonant principles with their own, to fill the seat in Parliament vacant by the death of Wyndham Lewis, Esq. Mr. Johnson, a respectable burgess, was unanimously voted to the chair. The Chairman observed, that a deputation had gone to London, to solicit Mr. Robarts, the banker, or in default of him, some other qualified person of liberal principles; and the sine qua non was that whoever the party was, he must pledge himself to vote for the Ballot. —( Cheers.) He concluded his address by proposing the health of our youthful Queen, which was drunk with rapture. Several toasts followed in succession, and some gentlemen addressed the meeting, among whom were Mr. Whiting, the Editor of the Maidstone Gazette, Mr. Stevens, of the Greenwich Patriot, and Mr. Wooler, of London. From the moment that the demise of Mr. Lewis was known, " The Constitutional Society" —as the Conservatives are here termed—set to work, and from personal observation, I should think that their employers have enticed every voter in the place, for at every nook and corner were to be seen " running couples." The Conservatives met at the same hour at the Corn Ex change Room, and I understand that the meeting was nume rous and respectable. Placards have been plentifully issued by J. Minet Fector, Esq., of Dover, on the Tory side ; but it is said that he is only used as a cat's-paw by the party, until they can find a gentleman who has never had to lament over " Rejected Adressesa " That the ensuing contest will be a severe one there can be no doubt, and as the Tories have already made " a forced march," the Liberals will have enough to do to vanquish, when the belligerents come into closer contact. ELECTION COMMITTEES. (THIS DAY.) SHAFTESBURY. We have received the Cape of Good Hope Papers to the 12th of January. They state on the subject of emigration—" In one of the Journals just arrived we observe a proposal for filling up the blank made by emigration from our frontier by a fresh importation of agricultural settlers from Congland. " Recent discussions have brought the Cape more prominently before the British public than heretofore, and the effect, as might have been expected, is decidedly favourable. There is no colony in which a small capital will enable industry and economy to reach independence in a she rter time, or more certainly than at this colony." We have received the Mauritius Price Current of the ISth of De. cember. Exchange on London, Mauritius Government Bills, 30 days' sight, one per cent. premium ; Mauritius Bank Bills, 90 days, at par. ; Private Bills, 90 days, '4 to 4 per cent. discount, Up to the present hour we do not hear of the arrival at Liverpool of the New York packet-ship United States at Liverpool, although generally expected. PRICES OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. India Stocks.-- Ditto Bonds — 64 South Sea Stock Old Annnities ..... - N e w Ditto Bank Stock 3 per Ceiit. 3 per Cent. C0n5......... 93% 27 3% per Cen. . Ditto Red. --- New 3 Y 4 per Cent New 5 per Cent.. Btnk LongAnnuitiesto expire Jan. 5, 1Ff,0... Oct. 10, 1859 Jan. 5, 1360 Jan. 5, BSA 1 3 per Cent. Annuities, 1751_ Exch. Bills. £I ,t ' 64 61. ora Ditto ..... „ 64 6•t pm. Ditto Small Ditto Commercial Ditto Advertited .64 61 63 pm Bank Stock for Account April ..... Jan. 5, ..... - _ PRICES OF FOREIGN FUNDS Austrian i3onds Belsrlan Bonds Ditto Account Brazilian Bonds 741 5% LSltto Account B11t:06 Ayres liends THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. l'eruvian Bonds Ditto Account ......... Portugueie Bonds Ditto Account CiAto New Bon .c Ditto Account 20 Ditto Account ...... Ditto, 3 per cent 2 O. Bonds.. 80r.13 ......, ..... Ditto Account Prtscian Ruw3i.an Bonds, 1 822 CMan P.,onde .......... Ditto Accour , L ......... Ditto Account Ditto Metallic . Spanish Bonds Ditto Account Ditto Bonds. 18 2l%Ve Ditto Account "1 Yti French, 5 per cent..... —t. 4 per cent. :Ipso cent. _c —r Eichtrige.. ...... —f. Dutch, J 3 / 4 per cent. 52M4 Ditto Account Ditto, r , er cent 10.25,% Ditto Account DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK, Paid. 3rnpany 2O Ly Company l5 Per Sh ar e 19 IEN 11% 12 The Committee were engaged this morning in hearing the arguments of Counsel on the point raised yesterday by the petitioners, as to the adjourned Revising Barrister's Court, which they contend was not legally adjourned, and if the Committee decide in their favour, it will have the effect of striking off eight or nine votes from the numbers polled for the kitting Member. EVESHAM. Sir It. PEEL, Chairman, The Committee met as usual at eleven o'clock. Mr. COCKBURN proceeded to attack the vote of George Brotherton, a voter for the sitting Members, on the ground of a change of residence since the registration. Mr. New said he was landlord to the voter, proved that he gave up the house to his brother, and retired to Alcester, from which town he actually came to Evesham to vote. . . . The Committee were of opinion that there was not sufficient evi_ . dence to enable them to strike off the vote, Mr. COCKBURN said lie proposed then to proceed with that class of persons who were disqualified in consequence of employment at the election. He proposed to strike oft' the vote of Henry Heritage. The voter himself was called, and said he was a steward of the Bel fry at Evesham. At the election there were John Baylis, James Walker, John Pind, another, and himself. He was steward, and received 101. from each party for ringing at the election. He received it from the parties on account of Mr. Rushout and Mr. Borthwick. He received his share of 20/., which was paid for ringing at the canvass. Cross-examined by Mr. P. BANKRS.—He was the regular bell-ringer. They did not receive anything from Lord Hill's party. He applied to Mr. Cheek because he was the lawyer for Lord Hill's party, but he re fused to pay anything. It was the usual practice for the ringers to be paid for ringing at the canvass and at the election. He rung nine days at the election, and he did not think he was overpaid by the Com mittee. They received 401., and rang twenty-one days. All the ringers were voters. In addition to the money there was a dinner pro vided for them every day. He recollected elections in Evesham since 1802, and :at every election the ringers were paid both fur the canvass and the election. Mr. COCKBURN submitted that this was an employment which was contemplated by the Act of Parliament. Bell.ringing was not necessary for the purposes of the election, and the payment of voters for it would clearly prejudice them in favour of those who paid them. Mr. BANKES contended that the vote was good. The ringers were employed in their usual pursuits, and it could not be called a cor rupt practice, because they were not paid more than they could have earned. Stock for Con... for Acconnt Account 911,A Without clearing the room, The CHAIRMAN said the employment of ringers might become an abuse ; but in that case they could not strike off the votes because the amount paid did not amount to a corrupt practice. They confined them selves merely to the case before them, and did not decide any general point. Mr. COCKBURN then attacked the vote of Wm. Hirons. Mr. Stevens knew the voter, who was a painter. He had heard him say that he was employed as a carrier for Mr. Borthwick. He did not carry himself, but was paid 11. 2s. for it, and had a boy to carry for him for ss. It was in witness's own parlour where the conversation took place. The voter was along with Job Baylis and other two persons. Cross-examined—He had voted at the last election for Lord M. Hill. The conversation was a general one, and it was not in answer to any question put to him by witness. C ) - Iw.r.bian Honda, 182 1 thLto Account I) in, , h ISonds Ditto Account ......... GreQk BordA thtto Romig, 1525 Ditto Account ........ ........ Mexican itonls, 5 per cent.... Ditto Account .... Ditto, ti per cent. ... Ditto f.ceount... Neapolitan.... ..... FiIICES OF SHARES THI Birmingham and Derby Railway Co'. Birmingham and Gloucester Railwa: Kastern Counties ...... Edinburgh and Glasgow _3 Cheat Western Railway Company 65 Brighton Railway Company Lenrion and 13Iackwall Railway London Grand Junction Railway .:.neliester and Birmingham Riilway 7 - 11 Northern and Eastern Hallway Company York and North Midland Railway Co.cpany l2 13 Anti Dryrot Company Australian Company 274 43 . _ COURSE OF EXCHANGE YESTERDAY. Amsterdam C.F. 12 6 Gibraltar 4B Ditto, at sight Rotterdam O U. 12 6 Genoa Antwerp... Hamburg. M.B. 13 14 1 1 ,4 2 Venice , t6 A1t0na..... Paris, 3 days' sight 25 75 Palermo per oz. 116 Ditto . 3 Ms. 26 0 Li, , tion Marseilles. Bourdeaux Frankfort on Maine, Ex. M. 154 Bahia 25 Petersbuigh, ruble .3 Us. 10 Buenos Ayres -- Berlin Vienna, effective 6.....:2 M. 10 14 Cork I% Trieste ditto lO 15 PRICE OF BULLION, PER OZ. Madrid .',5 Portugal Gold, coin '3 14 6 Cadiz.... albo a .. 34 New Doubloons Bircelona 14 New Dollars Saville 34 I Silver. bars. standard 0 4 11 PRICES OF IRISH STOCKS. DUBLIN, MARCH 15. 3 per Cent. Consols 92%'Graml Canal Debs. 6 per cent. 9114 I)itto Reduced — Ditto, 4 per cent. 3!4 per Cent. Stock 994i Hibernian Bank 2 2 ,, Ditto New, PM . 99% City of Dublin Steam Company 111% 33 4 per Cent. Debentures Bank Stock Royal Canal Stock Grand Canal Stock 2934 cent — HALF-PAST ONE O'CLOCK rhe Cunsol Market has been very inactive during the whole of the morning, and up to the present hour I do not hear of any feature worth notice. Consols may be quoted at present at 93 to f ; Money, 92 I 93; Exchequer Bills, 64 66 ; India Bonds, 62 65 ; Bank and India Stock, shut. In the Foreign Market the chief speculation has been in Spanish Active, which was looking up in the early part of the morning, and reached 21f I ; but the report of the Spanish Government being on the eve of obtaining a large loan is not much credited, and caused a decline in the Spanish Bonds from the above price to 21f with Coupons ; Portuguese, tIOI 31 ; Three per Cents., 2034 21 ; Brazilian, 754 76 ; Mexican, 2Sa ; Columbian, ' , SI 29 ; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 52f. In the Share Market little doing. London and Brighton, 2 3 ; Blackwall, 3 -a. THREE, O'CLOCK. Consols for the Account, 93f. Mr. Poulett Thomson and Lord Duncannon trans acted business yesterday at the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Office, in Downing-street. Despatches, dated Feb. 7, were received yesterday from the Governor of Jamaica • from the Governor of the Mauritius, dated Dec. 19; and from the Governor of Barba does, dated Feb. 6. Despatches were forwarded yesterday from the Foreign Department for the British Charge d'Affaires at Lisbon. His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, at tended by Lord John S. Churchill, was among the dis tinguished audience at the Olympic on Thursday. The Duke of St. Alban 's has been entertaining the Rev. Lord Frederick Beauclerk and family during the last week at Holly-lodge. _ _ •• v ...-- . C., We have to record another decease in the family circle of the Earl of Coventry, Alexander Crawfurd, Esq., who was married to Lady Barbara Coventry. Mr. Craw furd was the eldest son of Sir James Crawfurd, Bart., of Rilberney, and first cousin to the present Viscount Gage. The famly of Lord Coventry are still in mourning for the s udden demise of Sir Roger Greisley, Bart., who was mar ried to another sister of the Earl. •-- The sudden demise of Mr. Wyndham Lewis took place at his mansion, at Grosvenor-gate, on Wednesday morn ing last. Ho was in his 58th year, and although not very robust, yet no previous symptom gave indication of his ap proaching dissolution, which occurred while he was writing. Mr. Wyndham Lewis, who was Member for Maidstone, has been in Parliament since 1820, with the exception of two elec tions. He was a barrister, and joint proprietor of the great iron works in Glamorganshire, and married, in 1815, Miss Evans, of Branceford, Devonshire. Lord Glenelg has recalled Captain Hindmarsh from the Governorship of South Australia, and has delegated the selection of his successor to the Commissioners for the coloni zation of that extensive territory. It is anxiously desired by the Commissioners that some military man of high reputation should be found willing to undertake the charge. In the course of next week the amount of income to be allotted to this im portant office will come under the consideration of the Com missioners, and it is understood to be the opinion of a majority of their number that the most enlightened and beneficial policy on this subject will be the policy of munificence. — Morning Post. ECCLESIASTICAL ENCROACHMENTS.—It is now evident that our English brethren will make common cause with us in resisting ecclesiastical encroachments ; we wish our corps of agitators were twenty-fold its present strength. London will require a Standing Committee—a permanent de putation—to watch the manoeuvres, and thwart the contri vances of the Church. We anticipate that no delay will e lapse, before the men of Birmingham will have the oppor tunity of telling how they sympathise with their Scottish brethren. Our confidence is in the truth and divinity of our principles, and in the ultimate justice of popular opinion—on contested interests, dispassionately examined. —Scottish Pilot. HULL, The Committee met at Eleven o'clock, and the Learned Counsel for the petitioners, proceeded to inquire into the qualification of Mr. Wilberforce. _ . Mr. Robert Harrison, Clerk in the Prorogative Court, produced the will of the late Mr. Wilberforce. Sir George Stephen, one of the attesting witnesses to the will, was called and examined, as to the amount of ineumbrances, &c., under the will. He stated, that the personal estate, in the hands of the Trustees, would satisfy all demands, and leave a surplus of 1,0005. He believed there would be 6001. a year, clear of every thing arising from the es tates. The amount of these estates, included in the second particular. but not mentioned in the first delivered to the House, would be between 2001. and 3001. a year. DUBLIN. The Committee assembled this morning at the usual hour. Mr. WRANCHAM proposed to place on the poll of Messrs. West and Hamilton to vote of William Hare Maunsel, freeman—date of registry, :Id March, 1837—Rejected by the assessor, on the grcund of his not having been registered six months previous to the testing of the writ. Mr. Archer was then called, and produced the affidavit of registry. Mr. WRANGIIAM the proposed to put in the certificate of the admis sion of the voter to his freedom. Mr. AUSTIN objected to the admission of this document. They could not go into the title of an Irish voter beyond the affidavit, or in the absence thereof, the certificate of registry. The effect of the ad. mission of this evidence would be the opening of the registry. Mr. WRANGIUM said that although the document in question was not material to the object which he had in view, he thought it mght be of some use, to the Committee when they came to consider the different rights, whether of birth, marriage, or servitude, by which the freemen were admitted. Mr. AUSTIN said that by the Irish Reform Act the registry was con clusive ; and the affidavit or certificate were the only documents by which the vuter could prove his title. 111 r. EVANS apprehended that if they allowed a document to be pro duced in the one case which was anterior to the registry, they should admit it in the other ; and thus they would be opening the entire registry. The room was then ordered to be cleared, and, on the admission of strangers, the Chairman announced that the Committee had decided. that they could not admit the document in question. The witness, Archer, was then recalled, and asked by Mr. Wrang. ham, if among the various classes of persons in Dublin, there were not what were called freemen by statute. Mr. Hutton objected to the question ; it was only another means of establishing that which the Committee had decided ought not to be put. Lord SILY3IOI7R said that the Committee were of opinion the question might be put. On its being again repeated, the witness replied that there was no such class of persons in the Corporation as freemen by statute. Mr. AUSTIN—Now, Mr. Archer, as that question has been put to you, I will ask you a few more. Did you give evidence before the Fictitious Votes Committee? Witness—l did. Did you state before that Committee that the Corporation of Dublin admitted no right to the freedom of the city, and that they had the ab. solute discretion of admitting or rejecting freemen who claimed by any right, whether of birth, servitude, or marriage, as they pleased ?—I did. Do you abide by that evidence ?—I do. Is it not the fact that before the Reform Bill persons claiming in right of marriage were admitted by grace especial ?—lt is. The right by marriage before the Reform Bill did not constitute a distinct claim by itself?—No. Have not persons been admitted since the passing of the Reform Bill under that distinct head ?—Yes. Now, Sir, have you any doubt on your mind that the object of so admitting these persons was to enable them to become voters of the City ? I have no doubt that such was the object. How many freemen are there in Dublin ? Are there 2,000 ? Oh, more. Are there 2,500 ? About that. Are they not all in the babit of voting in the same interest ? Mr. WRANGIIANI objected to the question being put, and after some discussion it was finally waived by Mr. Austin. Witness to Mr. Austin—Has only heard of one instance in which right by birth has been admitted in the female line, that is, where the son of a freeman's daughter was admitted, the father himself not having been a freemen. Mr. AUSTIN—How many freemen have been admitted since the pass ing of the Reform Bill ?—About a thousand. Mr. WIANGIIAM said that as the evidence in support of the vote bad been concluded, it became his duty now to argue the affirmative of the proposition, that a freeman of the city of Dublin was not excluded by the Reform Bill from exercising his franchise, even within six months from the date of his registration. The Learned Gentleman then proceeded to contend that a freeman who had been admitted by birth, servitude, or marriage, had a right, by previous Statute, to exer cise the franchise immediately after his admission, and that the two sections of the Reform Act, which directed that an interval of six months should elapse between the date of registration and his voting, did not override that right. YOUGHAL. The vote of John Maguire, objected to yesterday on the ground that his residence was without the boundary line, was struck off', whereby the petitioner (Tory) was again in a majority of one. Mr. HARRISON then applied to have the votes of certain freemen (be. tween twenty and thirty) struck off, on the ground that they had been illegally admitted. GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY.—An accident has occurred upon this line near Preston Brook, by the giving way of part of the tunnel at that point, owing, apparently, to a fault or slip underground, which caused a pressure upon the brick-work that it was not calculatad to sustain. The fall took place on the evening of Saturday, but was attended with no worse consequences than the detention of the trains, the pas sengers in which will have to change carriages, and walk for about one hundred and fifty yards, until the debris can be re moved. The passenger train and mails will be despatched as usual ; but gentlemen's carriages, horses, and goods, cannot be forwarded beyond this point until the communication is restored; to effect which the utmost exertions are being used. Lord Morpeth transacted business yesterday at the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Office, in D o wning-street. The Grand Duke Alexander, heir apparent to the throne of Russia, has written to a person of distinction at Vienna to say that his Imperial Highness will visit that capital in the course of May. The Prince of Schwartzembur, will execute his mission to London, on the coronation of Queen Victoria, with great splendour, having the other day contracted a loan of 4,000,000 florins for this purpose. THE COAL MONOPOLY. CONCLUSION of the ENQUIRY—YESTERDAY. Yesterday the Committee on the Coal Trade Bill con c,uded its examination of witnesses. On no former occa— sion has more important or interesting evidence been given. The first witnesses were three of the poor coal whippers, who detailed a system which, for profligacy, cruelty, and iniquity, ha§ few parallels. We are prohibited from giving the evidence at present ; but we may state, that among the other evils which the infamous Coal Combination has pro- duced, the whole of the coal whippers have for a great length of time been held in bondage by divers publicans, tea-dea iers, grocers, and other tradesmen, who contracting for their employment in gangs, and paying them only when employed, those who permitted themselves to be plundered by " bad scores" (viz.), setting down to them the liquors, &c., taken by the Captains and their wives, and compelling them to spend a very large proportion of their weekly earnings in their houses—it was proved that out of every 255. per week they earned, they must spend Bs., and scenes of hor rible destitution, and most gross and indecent huddling tc.'- gether of families were the results. The City Remembrancer, on being closely cross-ques tioned by Mr. HOME and Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET, was compelled to admit some very extraordinary and suspicious negotiations on the part of the City Au thorities with the different Railway Companies, to compel the payment of_ the dues on all coals that may come within a circuit of about sixteen miles round London ; while he was obliged, reluctantly, to confess that they had no such power by their Charter, but got it in troduced into those Railway Bills under the threat of an opposition to their passing through the Legislature. This was followed by Sir John Hall (who is connected with the Docks) being examined ; and he read and delivered to the Committee a most lucid, argumentative, and unan swerable paper, on the abuses of the monopoly, and suggesting remedies. After the reading of this paper, which occupied a considerable time, the room was cleared, on the motion of Mr. Pease, we presume upon the question whether it should be received or not as evi dence. On our re-entrance, it was agreed to be received, and ordered to be printed. On Mr. Northhouse coining into the room, he was asked what he proposed to prove, and what witnesses he should call. He said he had pre pared a written statement of the case of his clients, which he laid before the Committee, and of which the following is a copy : STATEMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS ON THE BEHALF OF THE COFFEE AND EATING-HOUSE KEEPERS, WITHIN THE VEND OF COALS OF THE CITY OF LONDON, WHOSE PETITION HAS BEEN REFERRED BY THE HOUSE TO THE SELECT COMMIT TEE ON TIIE COAL TRADE BILL. Mr. NORTHHOUSE, agent for the petitioners, submits on their behalf : 1. That they are upwards of three thousand in number, and that their estimated consumption of Coal is upwards of 60,000 tons per annum. 2. That they tender evidence to this Committee that an increase of upwards of six shillings per ton has been occa sioned, from various causes, in the price of coal, and that they are, therefore, taxed upwards of 18,0001. per annum, which tax they are obliged to charge to the classes of society who frequent their houses, while the inhabitants of London and its vicinity are, from the same cause, taxed nearly one million per annum. 3. That no class of persons connected with the coal trade obtains any advantage corresponding to this enormous tax upon the community, but that this great increase in price is mainly occasioned by unnecessary crews remaining unnecessa rily idle for a great portion of their time, in order that certain regulations avowedly made to keep up prices may not be broken. 4. That such regulations impede and obstruct the navi gation of the river Thames and the Port of London, and are productive of much more mischief to all, than of proportionate profit to any. 5. That by the Act of the Ist and 2d Wm. IV., chap. 76, it is enacted, " that it shall be lawful for the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, from time to time, to make, ordain, and establish such orders, rules, and bye-laws for the regulating, governing, and managing of the Coal Market, and all officers to be employed in such Market, and all persons transacting business therein, as to the said Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen shall seem just' and reasonable ;" and certain clauses contingent on the mak ing of such bye-laws and regulations arc contained in the said Act. 6. The petitioners tender evidence :that the said Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen have never made such Bye-laws and Regulations, but have notoriously neglected to do so, oil the ground that they are only " empowered," but not required by the said Act ; the consequence of which has been, tha t such regulations have been made by persons who were neither em powered nor required to make them—who have interests . IDL,_ , verse to the public, and who are acting in connection vrl".% and subservient to a Committee of Coal Owners in the North, to keep up prices to the public. 7. That the petitioners tender evidence of the long and ,ap parently wilful neglect of the said Court of Lord May or and " 1 Aldermen to protect the public against frauds and impositions in the said coal trade, and that their refusal to make such bye laws and regulations as the said Act empowered, and the Legislature expected them to do, proves that they arc either unable or unwilling, and manifestly unfit to continue to enjoy such unexcreised powers. 8. That in the said Act there is no provision whatever to protect the poor, who purchase less than 5601b5. of coal, from frauds, there being no penalty and no forfeiture, and your petitioners tender evidence that such frauds are committed to a great extent. 9. That the petitioners tender evidence that great frauds arc committed by mixing coal of various qualities to gether, and selling them as of the best quality, and that the said Act contains no adequate protection for the public against such frauds. The petitioners therefore respectfully submit 1. That their numbers and their consumption of coal; entitle them to consideration at the hands of your Honourable Committee. 2. That their business, which is chiefly carried on by fuel, renders an increased price of Coal more oppressive to them than to other classes of the community. 3. That neither Coal-owners in the North, nor Coal sellers in the South, nor Factors, nor Merchants, get, either individually or collectively, any advantage at all a pproaching to the dead loss which the present system occasions to the public. 4. That 'the Lord Mayor and Corporation of the City o f London, being Conservators of the Thames, are scandalou sl y negligent in their duty, by not preventing the obstructions to navigation which the present system occasions. a. That the powers to make bye-laws, regulations, Ste,:' granted by the Act of the Ist and 2d of William IV., L' 4 : l withdrawn from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen , 80 vested in Commissioners to he appointed by, and responsible to the Crown, removeable for misbehaviour at pleasure and re newable every three years. 6. That such Commissioners shall receive from every Captain, the moment he is laden with Coal from the pits i ll the North, a letter, stating the quantity and quality of his c argo , and that such letter, with an offer for sale, be exposed fo r pubic inspection in the said Coal Market, on its being 'eceived and that immediately, or as soon after as may b e on the same cargo being declared to be sold, the said ye' s° shall be allowed to take its berth, and be weighed and de livered without loss of time ; but that no vessel shall be al lowed to enter the port until such cargo be so declared to be sold. 7. That a clause be inserted in the Bill before the House, fixing a penalty of not exceeding (C ). er less than on the sale of all Coals which may be found deficient in weight or deceptive in quality, and that one' half thereof go to the informer. 8. That in the Preamble to the Bill before the Hous e ' it be stated that the intention of the said Bill is (inter die) to prevent combinations and frauds in the Coal Trade, and that in all cases of difficult construction such intention shall be held to govern the decision. Ile CHAIRMAN asked , Mr. Northhouse what witness" he proposed to call ?—He answered Mr. Charles Pearson' Mr. Bradfield, and others. i ,t The CHAIRMAN said—Mr. Northhouse coul d - ° examine those witnesses himself.—Mr. Northbou se replied be was aware of that—be should merely ten der his witnesses, and the Committee would exam ine such as they thought proper. Mr. Hume under too ; i to examine the witnesses, and Mr. Bradfield then g as evidence, after which the Chairman asked Mr. Northhouse ' who else he was prepared to call ; and on Mr. Charles Pearson's name being mentioned, Mr. Pease said Mr. Pe a c i son had already given evidence on a former occasion , an was a most intelligent witness ; but lie thought there was • no necessity for hearing him over again. The Cha irma ; said the Committee had no more witnesses before it, c% eeP d those Mr. Northhouse mentioned, on which the latter as k f it whether the Committee had agreed to receive Si r Jo na Hall's paper as evidence. The Chairman said they had, al? _ had ordered a copy to be given to Mr. Northhouse for tto. ' use of his clients ; under which circumstance, Mr. N° rt a house said he considered the case already established , a n A. , should call no more witnesses. Tho Committee then 11' journed to Friday, to make their Report. COURT OF COMMON COUNCIL. —A Court of Common Council was held on Thursday for the despatch of ei v , ic business. Alderman T. Wood presented a petition, numerousilt signed, from the inhabitants of Watling-street, praying tha the street might be widened. Several members bore testimony to the inconv en i ence reulting from its present state, a nd the petition was ultimately referred to the City Lands Committee; A petition was then presented by the Rev. Mr. Will iams ° ds the subject of the " Civilization of the Savages of the 'shined of the Pacific Ocean." It was most attentively listened to, and ordered to be laid on the table.—The Court then broke up. STEAM TO NEW YORK.—The Cdombus steami, ship reached Liverpool on Saturday, having steamed rom a from the river Thames during the week, and may no w be se in the Clarence D o ck. We know not when she will procbeed on her voyage ; it will, however, be in a few day with the p ac k e ts o f the 16th, o r the packet of the 24th. t iq, it will be re oollect i d, pr o pell e d by Mr. Howard's Pat". vapour e n g i n e s , a nd can ca rr y fifty days' fuel at the sane ual mersion as a steam-vessel of the common p l an , of eV power and tonnage, can carry twelve days' fuel.—Live r p oo Albion. s—probar.ltro